Having understood Jiro's pain, Hiroyuki felt closer to Jiro. It was like the invisible wall between them had crumbled. He wanted Jiro to know he would never abandon him the way his mother had.
And Hiroyuki intended to support Jiro in the future. Even after returning home, he would still keep in touch with Jiro and help him become self-dependent. As the days passed by, one by one, Hiroyuki knew he was getting closer to his return date.
He couldn't stall the inevitable. And avoiding what he feared most was impossible. Hiroyuki learned from a young age that you can't run away forever.
But now, he still had a bit of time before he had to go back and face the past. His past wasn't any better than Jiro. The overbearing father who could never approve of his children. That's why Hiroyuki's older brother was driven to . . . Forget it. He past had to remain buried. Because the sorrow and pain it would bring when unearthed was too terrible a pain to suffer a second time.
People told Hiroyuki that the pain would eventually go away. That time would heal his pain. But the truth is the pain only deepens, feeling shaper whenever he thought of his older brother. It was a pain that couldn't simply put down and let go. No, the pain would remain with him forever.
Hiroyuki was the stubborn one. Stubbornly keeping everything bottled up. Even now, he didn't know how to express those tormenting feelings with others. In fact, he feared sharing his pain with another person. Why should someone else have to suffer?
It was enough for him to carry the burden by himself.
As Hiroyuki worked, he overheard his coworkers mention the Hanami Festival. Yes, now that they were in Spring, it was time for the cherry blossoms to bloom.
When he was younger, Hiroyuki and his family would go to the suburbs to view the cherry blossoms. As he thought of those nostalgic moments, Hiroyuki wondered if perhaps this year, Jiro would like to accompany him.
There was a good viewing spot near their apartment complex.